WINE TOURISM: WINE TO RESCUE FRENCH TOURISM

At the beginning of February, the French Foreign Ministry has launched a bilingual French/English website to encourage foreign tourists to visit France’s wine tourism sites, a strategy which aims to boost the country’s tourism in the face of international competition.

11.4 billion Euros value of wine and spirits were exported from France in 2015. Wine is the French symbol on which the authorities intend to capitalize by launching the website visitfrenchwine.com.

"More than a product, wine is becoming a culture. Tourists today are looking for stories, excellent products, and a deeper understanding of what it is they are eating and drinking… The aim is that as many people as possible both French and foreign, have access to our products," said Laurent Fabius, the minister of foreign affairs.

He also said that in 2010, 3 million international tourists visited French wineries and vineyards. The minister would like this number to reach 4 million in 2020. French tourists still represent 61% of France’s wine tourism. The government's objective is to promote the sector through new technologies, and to attract visitors especially from the U.S., Asian countries and Europe.

The purpose of the project is to bring together public and private stakeholders around a territorial brand offering a structured proposal to tourists. The promotion and development of wine tourism is intended to highlight the excellence of French know-how and to boost the French tourism industry which faces stiff international competition.